Couple of days after the University Grants Commission (UGC) announced that the final year University examinations will be held in September, the Maharashtra government has expressed its inability to conduct these exams.
The state disaster management authority, led by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, on Monday reiterated its stand of not conducting final-year university exams citing increasing Covid-19 cases.
“The number of cases is increasing day by day. So, it is not possible to conduct final-year university exams as per University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines,” said Uday Samant, Minister for Higher and Technical Education.
Higher and Technical Education Minister Uday Samant said the government will convey the authority’s decision to the UGC and Human Resource Development Ministry.
“The Maharashtra Disaster Management Act gives the state government powers to overrule any decision in such circumstances,” Samant said.
“We will not hold the examinations in present circumstances. If some Vice-Chancellor holds examinations it will be at his risk. If students are infected I will instruct the police to file an FIR (First Information Report) against the concerned VC and Registrar of the University for playing with the students’ safety,” he said.
Samant also counted some pragmatic difficulties like setting up question papers, their transport to examination centres and non-availability of classrooms to accommodate the students maintaining physical distancing.
The minister pointed that almost 10 states have decided not to hold the final year examinations. He also appealed the Union government to leave this issue to the states.
